The Battlefield 6 beta may be over, but 2042's just gotten a massive new update

The past couple of weekends have been an absolute dream for this Battlefield enjoyer. Between ratting my way around Siege of Cairo's narrow corridors, shotty in-hand, and snaking my way through Iberian Offensive's ravaged structures, shotty still in-hand, I've been having a blast. Yes, the maps on offer were a bit too small to properly capture the big ground warfare mamajams of Battlefields past. And yes, the netcode is a bit queasy in places, but there's a prevailing sense that EA's finally getting the series back on course after Battlefield 2042.

But the redemption arc actually started during the Battlefield 2042 era. What was once the series' ugly duckling slowly transformed into a moderately cute swan over time, to the extent that I find it enjoyable to sit down and play now - not quite best FPS games list material, but solid. While the Battlefield 6 beta is out of commission, EA has pushed a surprise update for its predecessor. This includes the return of a fan-favorite map, a free battle pass, and plenty of rewards you'll be able to use in the iconic series' latest instalment when it arrives.

The 'Road to Battlefield 6' update kicks off with the re-introduction of well-trodden volcanic island, Iwo Jima, which we first got to duke it out on back in Battlefield 1942. The "reimagined" map isn't all rocks and lava, though, as you'll get to shimmy through bunkers and slither through trenches as you fight.

The new update also brings two new weapons, the KFS2000 assault rifle and Lynx sniper rifle. If you participated in the BF6 beta, you'll unlock the Lynx straight away. There are also two new attack jets for you to attempt your best 'Rendezook' in, the A10 Warthog and SU-25TM Frogfoot.

'Okay, Aaron, but where's all the free Battlefield 6 stuff?' Don't worry, I got you. There's also a free 60-tier battlepass, running until October 7, that features tons of rewards based on Battlefields past. Six of these tiers yield a total of 30 "exclusive" Battlefield 6 freebies. EA's remaining coy on what's included, which is pretty rude in my opinion. Guess we'll just have to find out for ourselves…

Battlefield 2042 update 9.2.0 is live now. So what are you waiting for? Get going.

Oh, wait. Before that, you should go and check out more of the best FPS games that'll satiate your Battlefield 6 cravings, as well as more of the most exciting upcoming PC games you'll also need to slap on your wishlist.

If you're jumping back into 2042 for the first time in a long time, let us know via our community Discord server how you get on with it.